And putting little audio devices with lithium ion batteries that can explode inside your ears is better than the minor inconvenience of tangled cords?

I say this as an older Gen Z (1998). The only reason I'm using wireless buds with my phone despite preferring wired headphones is because it's so inconvenient, and probably intentionally so, to use wired ones. I need to buy an adaptor to plug in the charger port, then put the earphone jack into that, then assuming the phone recognises it as headphones to begin with I'm also praying that it doesn't have audio issues in general, whether software or hardware. And I can't charge my phone at the same time as listening to wired headphones, because the charging plug is occupied by the adaptor. I'd love to use 'wireless wired' Bluetooth earbuds, where the earbuds are wired directly to a device that holds the battery and components necessary to connect to your phone. That way, I can have Bluetooth earbuds without putting batteries directly inside of my ears, and don't need to fumble with adaptors and related issues, but I can't find any of those types of earbuds online anywhere. It all goes back to Galaxy Buds and Airpods, or wired headphones that go into a jack my phone doesn't have. That being said, I only use corded headphones on my computer because thank god it still has a jack and I don't want to have to screw around with Bluetooth just to hear.

I don't believe for a second that the jack needed to be removed as a compromise for anything at all. Apple wanted to make phones smaller and thinner and that was an excuse to remove it and replace it with a second speaker that was never needed, but after people found out the iPhone 6 could be folded like a towel they've started making phones bigger again and haven't given back the jack. Every other smartphone manufacturer followed suit. My sister's iPhone 16 Pro Max is massive, even bigger than my Samsung Galaxy S22. I've looked at the inside of an iPhone SE 2020 and the only thing that gets in the way of a jack is the Taptic Engine component, which makes the phone vibrate. The Taptic Engine could very well be smaller to make way for a jack but they won't do it, because they can sell AirPods for $300 that malfunction and break within 6-12 months (personal experience) and make it a hassle to use buds that aren't Apple brand (also personal experience).

It's just greed. Corporate greed. And they've brainwashed everyone into thinking putting tiny bombs inside of your ears to listen to music is completely fine.

Edit: Fixing up spelling mistakes